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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24228139">Be My Valentine</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/gleefanatic/pseuds/hockeylvr59'>hockeylvr59 (gleefanatic)</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Men's Hockey RPF</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-05-17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-05-17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 18:28:03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,963</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24228139</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/gleefanatic/pseuds/hockeylvr59</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Tyson Jost/Reader</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Be My Valentine</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>You’d first met Tyson when he moved into the apartment across the hall from you. His rambunctious personality and the fact that there were constantly people in and out of his apartment meant that he was the only neighbor whose name you even knew or who you’d honestly even seen in passing before though. It had been a few months after he had moved in that he’d come knocking on your door almost shy but at the same time anxiety filling his expression. He’d explained that his mom’s Christmas present was delayed in shipping and now he was supposed to be out of town when it was delivered. He’d added that it wasn’t something he wanted sitting around and his ramble ended with him pleading with you to collect the package for him and to deliver it into his apartment so that he didn’t have to worry about it. </p><p>You’d agreed without hesitation because it was an easy ask. Since then, he’d asked you to collect other packages/mail for him and to water the plant he’d been trying to keep alive while he was away. He’d explained dramatically that he couldn’t let the plant die because he needed to prove a point to his captain who’d bet him that the plant wouldn’t last the season. On the occasions that you talked when he was leaving town or had arrived home and was checking in, you enjoyed the tales he told about his teams’ adventures and antics. His stories alone told you that there was never a dull day for the Colorado Avalanche and you looked forward to bumping into him in the elevator or parking garage because he never failed to cause you to leave smiling even if your day had been crappy otherwise. </p><p>It had been a rough week by the time Friday arrived, so rough in fact that though you’d mourned spending another Valentine’s day alone earlier in the week, by the time the hallmark holiday arrived you’d completely forgotten that today was Valentine’s day. By the time your day was over and you’d returned home with plans to change into PJs and curl up on the couch with a movie, takeout dinner, and wine, you were shocked to find a bouquet of flowers sitting outside your door with a card tucked into them. Adjusting your bag on your shoulder you bent to pick them up, a soft smile gracing your face as you caught a whiff of their sweet scent. </p><p>Flowers in hand, you unlocked your door and headed inside, setting the flowers on the counter while you put your bag away and slipped off your coat and shoes. It was only then that you reached for the card, pulling it out of the envelope. The front of the card had a cartoonish image of a wedge of cheese on it and read “sorry about the cheesy card” and once you opened it you couldn’t help but laugh at the scratchy writing inside in what you recognized was Tyson’s handwriting though he hadn’t signed it. </p><p>“…but since we’re both provolone on Valentine’s day will you have dinner with brie?” The card was so cheesy (no pun intended on your part) that you weren’t sure if this was a friend’s thing or whether it implied something more. So setting the card aside you quickly worked to get the flowers into a rarely used vase before pulling out your phone from your bag and pulling up your text conversation with Tyson. </p><p>
  <em>So…someone left me a beautiful bouquet of flowers and inquired about dinner…know anything about that?? </em>
</p><p>Standing in your kitchen waiting for a response you couldn’t help but feel your heart thud in your chest in a way that it hadn’t before. Still, you chastised yourself that he probably was just talking about a friendly dinner…even if that wasn’t something he’d ever done before and it likely didn’t mean anything more. When your phone finally buzzed on the counter you felt yourself jump in surprise before you reached for it, blush growing on your face. </p><p>
  <b>I might know something about it. </b>
</p><p>
  <b>Change into something comfy and come over?? I have pizza and wine…</b>
</p><p>
  <em>Be over in 5. </em>
</p><p>After changing into a pair of sweats and a too-large sweatshirt you grabbed your phone and apartment key before making your way across the hall. In response to your knock, Tyson called out that it was open and the moment you stepped through the door, you froze in shock. The entire living space of the apartment was dimmed and lit only by candles and while there was a bottle of wine and a pizza box on the coffee table in front of the couch, you were immediately distracted by the fact that Tyson was sprawled out on the floor in sweats and a t-shirt with a half dozen tiny kittens crawling all over him. </p><p>“What is going on here?” You found yourself asking and when Tyson glanced up at you after settling the kittens onto the floor his smile grew. </p><p>“So uh…I think you accidentally called me the other night and before I realized it was an unintentional call I heard you whining about Valentine’s day…” The moment the words left his mouth you thought back to the other night and suddenly an apology was spilling from your lips. </p><p>“Oh god…I’m so sorry you had to witness my pity party…I absolutely did not mean for that to happen.” You explained. Tyson was now standing in front of you and he shrugged his shoulders for a moment. </p><p>“I know. But anyway…it got me thinking about how much you’ve done for me and how I haven’t really properly thanked you…so I thought maybe since we’re both single we could spend the evening together making fun of hallmark movies or something. </p><p>You started to say that he didn’t need to do anything to thank you because you doing little things for him wasn’t a big deal but he stopped you before you could even start. </p><p>“Okay. Fine. This sounds nice.” You agreed, stepping forward to press a quick kiss to Tyson’s cheek. “Thank you.” The fact that his cheeks had gone rosy sent your mind reeling but that thought pattern was stopped when you heard a soft meow at your feet. “Okay…so explain the kittens…because you do not have time for one cat let alone six Tys…” </p><p>Chuckling, Tyson bent down to pick up the kitten that had wandered over to you, cradling it in his hands and petting it gently. </p><p>“You mentioned a while back how much you missed your family’s cats so…I may have made a call to the humane society…” That still didn’t explain anything and when you raised your eyebrow at him Tyson continued. “They had a litter of kittens that isn’t quite old enough to be adopted yet, but they agreed to let me borrow them for the day as part of their house training. I thought maybe cuddling and playing with them might make you smile…” As he spoke the last sentence his voice dropped to a whisper and then suddenly he was tugging your hand pulling you over to where the rest of the kittens were rolling around on the floor. “Come play with them! They’re so fucking cute.” He exclaimed, picking a little grey furball up to hand it to you.</p><p>The small creature wiggled in your grasp and you immediately felt yourself relax at the feeling of soft fur under your fingers. You had certainly thought about getting a kitten, but the rent increase and going home for the holidays had prevented you from doing so. Looking over at Tyson wrangling two of the other kittens you couldn’t help but acknowledge the aching feeling in your chest that had appeared tonight for the first time. The fact that Tyson even remembered you saying you missed your cats when it had been an offhand conversation was mind-blowing and the ‘friends’ lens of your vision was quickly becoming blurred. </p><p>After a few moments of play with the furballs, Tyson settled the quickly tiring kittens into a soft bed at the corner of the couch. Once all of the kittens were settled in for a bit of a nap, he moved to the table to pour two glasses of wine, handing you one of them along with a plate to eat the pizza off of. </p><p>Snuggled onto his couch with pizza and wine and Tyson on the other end, he started the first of tonight’s movie selections. Within five minutes he was chirping the movie and how ridiculous it was causing you to laugh. By the end he was questioning why women even watch these things when they’re so predictable and you couldn’t help but shrug.</p><p>“Maybe because it’s nice to think that maybe something could just be that good even if it’s not realistic. Sometimes it’s nice to think that there are good guys out there that aren’t afraid to admit what they want.” </p><p>You could feel his eyes on you as you finished your glass of wine, leaning forward to set it back down on the table. Silence spread through the room for a minute before suddenly Tyson was shifting and his thumb was brushing against your cheek as his lips pressed gently into yours. It took a moment for your brain to process what was happening but when it did you kissed him back causing him to smile against you before pulling away. </p><p>“How’s that for an admission?” He questioned softly, his thumb still brushing against your skin. Basking in his touch for a moment more you eventually spoke. </p><p>“I mean it could use a little clarity…but it’s a good start.” You murmured, your gaze focused on him. “Because I just don’t want to read more into this than it is.” You added, your hand brushing over his knee gently. Kissing you gently once more, Tyson pried himself up from the couch, moving to his kitchen for a moment before returning with a box which he handed you with a sheepish smile on his face. </p><p>“So I was hopeful but didn’t want to presume so I left these in the fridge…” He mumbled. Opening the box you flushed not at the chocolate covered strawberries but at the chocolate bark with ‘be my valentine?’  written in elegant script on it in white chocolate. </p><p>“Tyson…” You breathed only to be cut off by Tyson insisting that it was fine if you didn’t feel the same. “Tyson…are you serious?” You found yourself asking and when he replied that of course, he was you jumped up off the couch to kiss him once more. </p><p>“Does this mean you’ll go on a date with me?” He inquired when you finally broke the kiss to breathe. Your affirmative nod in response caused him to let out a whoop of excitement which caused you to laugh once more. </p><p>With plans pending for an official date, you settled back onto the couch, this time curled into Tyson’s side as he started another movie. By the time it ended, the two of you had kittens snuggled all around purring happily. </p><p>Considering how shitty your week had started, the fact that it was ending like this was incredible. In a matter of hours, you’d gone from spending another Valentine’s day alone, to being the Valentine of a man who made you laugh more than anyone else and who listened and remembered the things you talked about, a feat which spoke volumes. </p><p>Thinking about it, your story seemed like one that could feature in a hallmark movie. It was cheesy for sure. But it was also absolutely perfect and you wouldn’t have it any other way. </p>
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